EVENT UPDATES

After 33 hours of play, Benjamin Dobson is feeling good about his Stud game after winning his first World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #25: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better for his biggest live cash of $173,528.

"I'm on top of the world right now," Dobson said after his win.

While Stud 8 is one of his favorite games to play, he simply doesn't get to play it too often in Europe and the majority of his more than $1 million in live tournament earnings have come in no-limit hold'em events.

After scooping Mike Matusow in a big pot on Day 2 with boat over boat to take the chip lead, Dobson led for the majority of the final couple days of play. He was able to hold on, despite plenty of high-level competition in two-time bracelet winner Jesse Martin who busted in third, and runner-up Tim Finne, who took fourth in this event last year. After closing it out, Dobson felt relieved.

"I kind of had high expectations for myself, but it was also really tough because Timothy and Jesse are both probably better than me at Stud 8 so I felt like I was a bit of an underdog. But I managed to hold my own and ran good in some of the crucial parts so, I feel great."

Even holding the chip lead, as the blinds got so big on Day 3 and into the final day, Dobson knew that if he got scooped in a couple pots, he would lose the lead and easily become the short stack.

"While I was playing quite loose on third street, I was making sure that I wasn't trying to overcommit on fifth, sixth, seventh, like chasing stuff which you know might cost me a large percentage of my stack. But I managed to just kind of stay afloat with small pots and then obviously running good in some of the big ones to scoop. And that's the key: Just don't brick on 7th street," Dobson said with a chuckle.

The event drew 596 runners to generate a prize pool of $804,600, of which 90 players got a piece. After bagging big on Day 2, three-time bracelet winner Barry Greenstein hit the rail in 18th place for $4,899 and another three-time champ, Eli Elezra, fell a bit short of the final table in 12th for a payout of $9,165.

Official Event #25 Final Table Payouts

Position

Name

Country

Prize

1

Benjamin Dobson

England

$173,528

2

Tim Finne

United States

$107,243

3

Jesse Martin

United States

$74,324

4

Richard Monroe

United States

$52,359

5

Tom McCormick

United States

$37,504

6

James Nelson

United States

$27,321

7

Georgios Sotiropoulos

Greece

$20,248

8

Peter Brownstein

United States

$15,271

Final Table Action

With the elimination of PJ Cha in ninth ($11,724), the official final table was set. Peter Brownstein was the first casualty of the final table, followed by bracelet winner Georgios Sotiropoulos in seventh and James Nelson in sixth.

Next to go was Tom McCormick, who was playing at his 15th WSOP/WSOP-C final table. He added his 72nd WSOP cash with his fifth-place finish for $37,504. Richard Monroe would be the last one out before the final three bagged up to return for an unscheduled Day 4.

The final three returned on Thursday with Dobson holding almost 60 percent of the chips in play, Martin with the shortest stack and only 24 big bets in play. Martin saw his stack fluctuate a good amount, but he eventually got down under two big bets and got it in with a pair of aces on fourth street against Dobson's 8-7 low draw. Both players bricked their lows, but Dobson ended up with sevens up, good enough for the scoop to send Martin out short of a third bracelet.

Jesse Martin fell short of his third WSOP bracelet, taking third place in Event #25.

Heads-up didn't last long. Dobson started out with a nearly 3-1 chip lead over Finne and pretty soon, Dobson scooped Finne when he made a flush on seventh street, knocking Finne down under three big bets.

The blinds went up and Finne committed the rest of his stack on fourth street. He was drawing dead on sixth as his board ran out // against Dobson's // that made a 6-5 low and a straight on fifth street, good for the scoop and the win.

With his wife flying into town tomorrow, Dobson will take a few days off and probably do a bit of shopping. After that though, it's back to the WSOP grind, armed with a bankroll and confidence boost.

"I'll be playing some more events. I might try the 10k Stud 8 now that I feel confident. I'm probably a loser in that field, but I'll go give it a go."

That marks the conclusion of Event #25, but there's still plenty of World Series of Poker action to follow as the PokerNews live reporting team continues to bring live updates from the tournament floors of the Rio.

Thursday, June 14, 2018 3:13 PM Local Time

Tim Finne Eliminated in 2nd Place ($107,243); Benjamin Dobson Wins!

Tim Finne had the bring-in and Benjamin Dobson completed to 120,000 on the first hand of the new level.

Finne made it two bets to go, and Dobson called the 240,000 total. On fourth, Finne led out, Dobson announced a raise, and Finne was all in for his 315,000 total with Dobson making the call.

Finne: /
Dobson: /

"I have blockers!" announced Finne.

Dobson found the on fifth to give him a near-lock on the hand as Finne found the .

For Finne, he would need to go runner-runner to get any of the pot back, and when he found the on sixth he would be drawing dead as Dobson caught the .

Seventh street saw Finne find the , and Dobson the , and with that, Finne collected $107,243 for his 2nd place finish while Dobson was crowned the Event #25 Champion!

Benjamin Dobson

4,470,000

560,000

Tim Finne

0

-560,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 3:04 PM Local Time

Level 32 started

Level:

32

Blinds:

120000/240000

Ante:

30000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 3:01 PM Local Time

Dobson with a Scoop to Extend Lead

Benjamin Dobson had the bring-in and Tim Finne called. Both players checked fourth street and on fifth, Finne bet, Dobson raised, and after a long pause, Finne called.

On sixth street, Dobson bet with his pair of nines showing and Finne called. Dobson bet again on seventh and Finne called.

Dobson: //
Finne: //

Dobson tabled for a flush and that was good for the scoop.

Benjamin Dobson

3,910,000

265,000

Tim Finne

560,000

-240,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 3:00 PM Local Time

Dobson Scoops with a Flush

Tim Finne had the bring-in and Benjamin Dobson completed. Finne called, and then called a bet on fourth street.

Both players checked fifth and sixth streets.

Finne: / /
Dobson: /

On seventh, Finne bet out and Dobson raised. Finne called, and Dobson tabled his for a flush, and Finne mucked.

Benjamin Dobson

3,645,000

475,000

Tim Finne

800,000

-505,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:55 PM Local Time

Heads-Up Play Begins

Play has now begun, and Tim Finne and Benjamin Dobson are heads up for the Event #25 bracelet.

For the player left standing, they will be awarded their first WSOP bracelet, and the $173,528 first prize.

Ben Dobson - Tim Finne Heads Up

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:49 PM Local Time

Short Break

Benjamin Dobson and Tim Finne are taking a short break before heads-up play begins.

Martin bet fourth and Finne raised as Dobson folded. Martin made the call, and on fifth, he led out for 200,000. Finne announced a raise, and Martin committed his 370,000 total.

Dobson: / (folded on fourth)
Martin: /
Finne: /

Martin held trip fours and a backdoor low draw against Finne's made straight.

On sixth, Martin found the , and Finne the .

On seventh, Finne immediately revealed his , and Martin squeezed the to find his backdoor low to stay alive with a chop.

Benjamin Dobson

2,120,000

-480,000

Tim Finne

1,600,000

260,000

Jesse Martin

700,000

-80,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:36 PM Local Time

Martin Scoops Dobson

Jesse Martin had the bring-in, Tim Finne called and so did Benjamin Dobson. On fourth street, Dobson bet, Martin raised, Finne folded, and Dobson made it three bets. Martin called for his remaining stack and they went to show down.

Martin: //
Dobson: //

Neither player ended up with a low and Martin got the scoop with his pair of nines.

Benjamin Dobson

2,600,000

-95,000

Jesse Martin

780,000

400,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:26 PM Local Time

Martin Folds Open Sixes to Finne

Tim Finne had the bring-in and Jesse Martin completed.

Finne called, and then called a bet on fourth. On fifth street, Martin checked and Finne bet 200,000. Martin folded, and Finne collected the pot.

Finne: /
Martin: /

Tim Finne

1,020,000

160,000

Jesse Martin

810,000

-70,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:23 PM Local Time

Martin Takes it on Fourth

Tim Finne had the bring-in and Benjamin Dobson completed. Jesse Martin made it two bets to go and Finne tank-folded.

Dobson called, and on fourth street, he check-folded to Martin's 100,000-chip bet.

Dobson: /
Martin: /

Benjamin Dobson

2,695,000

-215,000

Jesse Martin

880,000

215,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:21 PM Local Time

Dobson Bets Out Martin

Jesse Martin completed and Benjamin Dobson called. Dobson led out on fourth street and Martin called, but on fifth street, Martin folded to Dobson's bet of 200,000.

Dobson: /
Martin: /

Benjamin Dobson

2,910,000

295,000

Jesse Martin

665,000

-215,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:19 PM Local Time

Martin and Finne Chop One Up

Jesse Martin had the bring-in, Tim Finne completed and Jesse Martin called. On fourth and fifth streets, Martin check-called a bet from Finne.

On sixth, Martin took the betting lead and Finne called.

Martin: //
Finne: //

On seventh street, Martin bet and got a call from Finne.

Martin showed for a seven-low and Finne tabled for the high and the chop.

Jesse Martin

880,000

205,000

Tim Finne

860,000

-325,000

Thursday, June 14, 2018 2:06 PM Local Time

Martin Takes from Finne

Tim Finne had the bring-in and Jesse Martin completed to 100,000.

Finne called, and then called a bet on fourth before folding to a bet of 200,000 on fifth.

What should have been a three-day affair is now a four-day event. After three days of action, three players still remain with a chance at the title in Event #25: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better.

There's a bracelet to win, and the three players eager to get their hands on it are all well accomplished players. Benjamin Dobson, Tim Finne, and Jesse Martin return to the battlefield at 2 p.m. to decide who becomes the latest bracelet winner of the summer.

Seat

Player

Country

Chip Count

2

Benjamin Dobson

United Kingdom

2,615,000

3

Jesse Martin

United States

675,000

5

Tim Finne

United States

1,185,000

Last night, play ended some time after Richard Monroe busted in fourth position. The three remaining players are each guaranteed at least $74,324, but can win well more than double that by outlasting just two more opponents.

Final table results and remaining payouts:

Position

Player

Country

Prize

1

$173,528

2

$107,243

3

$74,324

4

Richard Monroe

United States

$52,359

5

Tom McCormick

United States

$37,504

6

James Nelson

United States

$27,321

7

Georgios Sotiropoulos

Greece

$20,248

8

Peter Brownstein

United States

$15,271

Play resumes with a bring in of 30,000 while completing takes 100,000. PokerNews will have all the action until a winner is crowned.

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